


Hole in the Sky a.k.a The waiting game

by Noctemus



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen, Open Ending, Pathos, Possible Character Death, Post - The Avengers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-09
Updated: 2013-08-09
Packaged: 2017-12-22 22:53:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/918958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noctemus/pseuds/Noctemus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The final heroic act becomes a mute point when it turns out not to actually be the end of you, and Tony Stark does not know how to feel about that. JARVIS, however, does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hole in the Sky a.k.a The waiting game

**Author's Note:**

> partially betaed by Bdrixhaettc

There is something poetic, even romantic, with the idea of making one final heroic act. The key word being _final_. Then there is the inherent meaning behind heroic. A worthy act, from a man that has been made worthy. 

Never mind the fact that when a situation comes to a head that such an action is needed, there is nothing pretty about it, nor much thought given behind it other then doing what needs to be done. You just dig your hands into the shit and stir. Starks are very good at that so it would have come as no surprise to anyone if they had known that Tony Stark was of the express opinion that the very notion was a big load of crap. 

In spite of having recently met the biggest icon of herodom himself Tony did not believe in heroes. Least of all that he was one. He did not need the good Captain to tell him that. He’d known the truth for longer than the super soldier had technically been alive (suspended animation did not count).

Life seemed to have come full circle. His new life started with an explosion, and now it was going to end with one. Tony doubted it would come as a surprise to anyone although the circumstances threw Tony into a head-spin, quite literally.

So, Tony Stark does not believe in heroes, but like any man he sure would like his death to mean something. And going out by a nuke while saving a city of millions? That sure beats dying in a car crash like his old man did.

And perhaps a fitting conclusion to the end of the Stark Dynasty.

Not one to dwell on the past if he can help it, Tony Stark, surprisingly enough, finds himself with a few regrets. Chief among them is Pepper and the mess he’ll be leaving her with. Though she’d made her entire professional life based on cleaning up after him, this is one mess he wished he could spare her from. Even though he’s of the firm belief that she’s more than capable to not only keep his vision alive, but to continue from here on out.

He also has some thoughts go to his oldest human friend, Colonel James Rhodey. He should have given him less of a hard time. But then again, anything else wouldn't have been Tony Stark.

The rest, comes as a distant third.

So Tony Stark's thoughts on heroism and the notion of one final act is pretty clear and regardless of that, the thought flicker through his mind together with all the other options considered and discarded when Fury gives the order. There was only one viable conclusion and Tony knew it to the very depth of his shriveled heart.

A one way trip. One where Pepper wasn't even going to be able to have the closure a body to bury would have given her. 

He wished he’d been able to say his goodbyes.Though, maybe on the other hand, it was for the best.

Faced with the reality though, Tony Stark is once again convinced life is after to kick him in the balls. Oh, and the notion of one _final_ act is a load of horse crap. 

Because, as it turns out, final for him doesn't mean FINAL and Tony Stark does not know how to feel about that. 

JARVIS, however, does and had it been any other time than right the fuck now, Tony would have no problem indulging in the verbal display of JARVIS displeasure. 

However, as things stand, there is a freaking space with butt ugly aliens around him, but above all, Earth is nowhere to be seen. Tony can forgive himself the moments where he is paralyzed with _HOLY SHIT HE’S FUCKED_ panic attack because, and he cannot stress this out enough...space. And JARVIS, good old JARVIS, his BFF, having his back as usual even though he sounds like he would love nothing more than to tan his pretty hide black and blue. 

If that wasn't enough to shove it to his face that JARVIS was something else, he didn't know what would. The visuals man, the VISUALS and apparently just what the doctored ordered to get him off his panic infusion.

Tony would accept anything, _anything_ to take his attention off the black oppressing darkness around him. And as always, JARVIS was there to provide.

“Jarvis?” Tony whispered into the darkness, a note of disbelief coloring his voice.

“Good to see that you’re back to the land of coherent thinking, Sir.” JARVIS replied, his voice filled with a mixture of emotions that Tony was surprised to be able to detect. Anger, worry and one he hasn't heard before but had no problem recognizing, fear.

“Shit yeah, sorry about that. But extenuating circumstances and all that.” Tony waved off before quickly putting his hands over his chest to block the light of his arc-reactor again.

“Indeed,” Jarvis replied, dryly, his voice as dry as a desert.

_One thing at a time Tony, old boy. Deal with one thing at a time._ “How’s the suit holding up?”

“Within acceptable parameters. Sir, may I suggest that you hide before those ugly things realize you are still here?”

“Shit, good point.”

Finding places to hide among the debris of the nuke wasn't hard. Finding one that was viable to use turned out to be slightly more difficult and keeping the light of his reactor hidden so that the remaining fuglies didn't spot him added to an already hard task. But Tony was if anything, tenacious and if a nuke didn't take him out, he sure as hell wasn't going to be done in by the chittering whatever-they-are even if he was in their home field.

Finding a suitable crevice facing the right way, Tony made himself as small as he possibly could wishing for not the first time in the last hour or so that he’d chosen a less conspicuous color for his armor. If he ever got home he was going to make sure he had one that was midnight black, or something less load in terms of color..

Peering through the visor into the unfamiliar star constellation Tony shivered. “Jarvis? you’re still there buddy?”

There was some crackle on the line that filled Tony with dread but as it settle the familiar voice came through clear as always, “I am.”

Tony giggled, “We’re fucked aren't we?” 

“That would be a most accurate description as any, sir.” JARVIS responded, neither mentioning that his little giggle had more hysteria than any sardonic morbid humor. 

Tony sighed. Shaking his head, he asked, “You wouldn't happen to be able to reach the base, do you?” and no matter how hard he couldn't squash the tiny note of hope in his voice. 

“I believe, although your satellites are as you put it - top shit - we are a bit out of their reach.” JARVIS replied, something almost gentle in his voice that made Tony blink rapidly. 

Planting his butt against the dark rock Tony exhaled roughly, “that’s a no then.”

“You are correct.”

“Fuck,” Tony said with emphasis.

“Indeed, sir.”

\+ * + * +

Time in space was a bitch to keep track of and Tony quickly gave up on the notion that it was something he would be able to do. The problem with having a lot of it, if no way to quantify it, was that it left Tony with a lot of time to think and with little to distract him, his thoughts grew darker by the heartbeat. Naturally he latched onto the first thought that flickered through his busy mind that piqued his curiosity. 

“Jarvis?”

“Yes, Mr Stark?” his faithful A.I responded.

“A little late and all, but why am I not dead?”

“Ah, yes.” and fuck a duck, if there wasn't something sheepish in JARVIS tone. “After the icing incident I may have added some upgrades of my own. The probabilities of you doing something extraordinary-”

“Brave?”

“-stupid and suicidal were high. I believe it was a necessary precaution.”

“Thank you?” Tony didn't know if he should be insulted or grateful. The jury was still out on that, though his A.I promptly responded with, “You’re welcome.” 

Mentally shrugging, Tony plunged on. “Not that I’m objecting to your presence and all, but why are you here?”

“I believe, that is because you flew into a hole in the sky, sir.” JARVIS responded dryly and if that wasn't a clear _Duh_ , attached silently to the sentence Tony was not a certified genius.

“Psht, whatever, I meant with me.”

“I believed that you needed me sir.”

The silence that descended on them both was long and heavy, if not uncomfortable.

“You know you’re a sentimental shmuck, right?”

\+ * + * +  
 _*sometime later*_

There wasn't much you could do, stuck in space with enemies all around you. It was a good thing his arc-reactor powered his suit and as such his life support system, but Tony knew as well as JARVIS that it could only take him so far. 

There was little else he could do other than trying to keep himself undetected from the creatures that seemingly appeared to have clued in on that perhaps something had come through the hole in the sky. Something other than the pretty light that had nuked them to kingdom come. 

For someone who liked the sound of his own voice, Tony finds himself with very little to say to distract himself and in a time where his only solace was the presence of his AI and his own voice and imagination it was turning out to be a problem.

But there was only so much he could brainstorm designs with JARVIS or engage in a conversation in a volume low enough that there wouldn't be a risk of it being transmitted into the vacuum around him. The chance was slight if any, but the possibility was such that Tony wasn't willing to risk it. After all, who knew what the fuglies held in the ways of technology? Eventually Tony fell into a morose stillness that JARVIS was having harder and harder time to get him out of.

“So,“ Tony said, almost surprise to hear his own voice, ”how long until the inevitable end then?”

“Barring from the high probability of you getting shot up by those aliens sir, my calculation indicates you have some time still.”

“I don’t want to know, do I?”

“No, sir.”

\+ * + * +

The silence stretched and Tony tried very hard not to let it get to him. The ever present hum that allowed him to know his AI was there, was almost not enough to drown out the vacuum that surrounded him and if he let himself delve on the thought of what little separated him from the cold unforgiving reality around him, he knew he would lose his mind. This was so much worse than the fucking desert. 

Moving into a better position on the remnants of the asteroid where Tony had found shelter, he idly eyed the information flowing over the HUD. Not that it would do any of them any good but he recognize JARVIS need to keep looking, to keep working as it was one he too needed to do, anything to take his mind of the bleakness of their shared future.

“Jarvis?” Tony asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper even though no sound would pass the armor. Just another indication that the silence was slipping into him, into his very bones.

“Yes, sir?” JARVIS responded, the pause barely noticeable but the curiosity evident and Tony wondered how long he’d gone without directing a word to his companion. He long since lost track of time, not that he had ever been all that good at it in the first place. 

“Do you think the others are alright?” 

“I do believe so, sir.”

“Not for nothing, then?”

“Never.”

**The End?**


End file.
